Agile VC

APRIL 17, 2011

How They Do It: Aggregate data from travel data warehouses like ITA as well as indexing travel providers websites, provide this information to consumers in a highly customizable search engine. liquidation preference, 6% accumulated dividend (1). Post-money valuation probably no higher than $12M (2). Series A-1 Preferred.

Pre-Money Valuation 113

Pre-Money Valuation Liquidation Preference Dividend Common Stock 113

Feld Thoughts

SEPTEMBER 27, 2011

In the case of an early-stage startup that hasn’t issued preferred stock yet, the debt converts into stock of the acquiring company (if it’s a stock deal) at a valuation subject to a cap. If it’s not a stock deal, then one normally sees one of the above scenarios. Some sort of conversion does occur.

Conversion 96

Conversion Sales Later Stage Preferred Stock 96

ithacaVC

DECEMBER 14, 2011

Specifically, “too much” liquidation preference (I will use “LP” for liquidation preference). As most of you probably know, LP is one of the fundamental economic attributes of preferred stock that preferred shareholders enjoy. Is the $13mm of aggregate LP a problem? It might be.

Liquidation Preference 49

Liquidation Preference LP Preferred Stock Liquidity Event 49

K9 Ventures

MAY 14, 2011

The incubators invest usually for an equity stake and buy equity at a extremely low valuation (for example, 7% for $15,000, which implies a pre-money valuation of less than $200,000). <$50K in aggregate. Common Stock. Convertible Note or Preferred Stock. Convertible Note or Preferred Stock.

Preferred Stock 125

Preferred Stock Seed Stage Incubator Early Stage 125

Professor VC

JANUARY 17, 2008

While currently free to angel groups, their business model revolves around aggregating the angel investment data. If my math is correct, this is approximately a 31% IRR, which has to beat individual angel investments on aggregate and venture capital returns over the period of the study (1990-2007). return on investment after 3.5

Pre-Money Valuation 28

Pre-Money Valuation Angel Investor Angel Groups Valuation 28

Startup Company Lawyer

FEBRUARY 21, 2010

I was speaking at an event last month to a group of CEOs and was surprised by the number of CEOs that were worried about the value of their common stock in a M&A transaction. Due to aggregate liquidation preferences that may exceed the acquisition price in an M&A deal, common stock may be rendered worthless.

Retention 31

Retention Liquidation Preference Employee Common Stock 31

Startup Company Lawyer

JANUARY 9, 2011

A logical alternative to convertible debt is a priced Series A preferred stock financing. Mark Suster does a good job analyzing whether convertible debt is preferable to equity , and concludes that convertible debt is better. This leads me to believe that there is a mini-bubble in the early stage financing universe.

Liquidation Preference 57

Liquidation Preference Finance Preferred Stock Common Stock 57